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Red Pitaya’s STEMlab 125-14 Gen 2 is a programmable test-and-measurement platform, not a conventional standalone oscilloscope. The three-model family combines 14-bit, 125-MS/s acquisition and generation with an ARM processor, FPGA, Linux software, and network control. Its main upgrade is a redesigned analog front end and updated connectivity; the PRO models add clocking, synchronization, expansion, or more FPGA capacity. Gen 2 was announced in March 2025 and is now a shipping product, but whether it is a worthwhile upgrade depends on your workload and willingness to configure software or develop FPGA logic.
What Red Pitaya launched, and when
Red Pitaya announced the STEMlab 125-14 Gen 2 family on March 11, 2025, with three models: STEMlab 125-14 Gen 2, STEMlab 125-14 PRO Gen 2, and STEMlab 125-14 PRO Z7020 Gen 2. The company opened pre-orders on June 24, announced the launch and webshop ordering on October 15, and said PRO Gen 2 models were shipping worldwide on November 4, 2025. These are past milestones, not upcoming release dates. Availability, delivery times, taxes, and distributor stock still depend on where you buy. Red Pitaya’s announcement, pre-order notice, launch notice, and PRO shipping announcement document the timeline.
What the STEMlab platform is
A STEMlab board combines analog inputs and outputs with an ARM processor, programmable FPGA, embedded Linux, networking, GPIO, and applications. Depending on the software and connected hardware, it can function as an oscilloscope, waveform generator, spectrum or Bode analyzer, logic analyzer, streaming data-acquisition system, software-defined radio platform, or custom FPGA/DSP instrument. Red Pitaya also lists LCR and VNA uses with extension hardware. Its PRO Gen 2 product page describes these application options.
That flexibility is the point: one reconfigurable platform can consolidate several instrument functions or become the acquisition and processing core of a custom system. The trade-off is that users may need to select and configure applications, manage the board’s OS and network access, calibrate it, write software or FPGA logic, and supply probes or expansion modules. A dedicated bench instrument generally offers a more polished front-panel workflow, while the STEMlab makes more of its behavior programmable.
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- Processor: Dual-Core ARM Cortex-A9 MPCore
- FPGA: Xilinx Zynq 7010
- RAM: 512MB
- System Memory: MicroSD up to 32GB
How the three Gen 2 models differ
| Model | Processing and memory | Expansion and synchronization | Best fit |
|---|---|---|---|
| STEMlab 125-14 Gen 2 | Zynq 7010, dual-core ARM Cortex-A9, 512 MB RAM | Standard model; the documented PRO-specific E3 and synchronization features are not listed for this model. | Education, prototyping, general measurement, and maker projects using the standard two-channel acquisition and generation paths. |
| STEMlab 125-14 PRO Gen 2 | Zynq 7010; the cited product documentation does not specify a different RAM capacity from the base model. | E3 connector, external ADC clock support, QSPI/eMMC expansion via E3, watchdog and power-management functions through E3, and S1/S2 synchronization connectors. | Projects needing external clocking, multi-board synchronization, or deployment-oriented expansion without the larger Z7020 FPGA. |
| STEMlab 125-14 PRO Z7020 Gen 2 | Zynq Z7020 and 1 GB DDR memory, according to Red Pitaya’s launch announcement. | E3 ecosystem and QSPI/eMMC-related boot options; the announcement identifies more GPIO and eight additional high-speed differential pairs. | FPGA-heavy research, longer captures, additional high-speed I/O, and OEM designs. |
The base model’s specifications are in its hardware documentation. PRO features are described in the PRO documentation; the Z7020 differentiators are identified in the launch announcement and its model documentation. The published material cited here does not establish a complete side-by-side specification for every Z7020 connector or capability, so check the model documentation for a specific integration.
Shared acquisition and generation basics
The base board has two 14-bit ADC channels sampling at 125 MS/s, with a documented DC-to-60-MHz ADC bandwidth, and two 14-bit DAC channels at 125 MS/s. The inputs offer 1 MΩ / 10 pF impedance and low- and high-voltage modes with stated ranges of ±1 V and ±20 V. The outputs are specified for ±1 V into 50 Ω or ±2 V into high impedance. Other listed features include 16 GPIO at 3.3 V, four analog inputs and four analog outputs for expansion, 1-Gbit Ethernet, microSD storage up to 32 GB, and USB-C for power and console. Red Pitaya specifies 20 ps RMS jitter at 40 MHz; that condition should not be generalized to every mode or signal. See the base Gen 2 specification.
What changed from Gen 1
- Analog front end: Red Pitaya says Gen 2 has a redesigned analog front end and claims reduced noise, crosstalk, and distortion. The launch materials do not provide independent comparative test results establishing the size of those improvements.
- Connectivity and system design: Gen 2 adds USB-C power and console connectivity and an updated power and system architecture.
- PRO expansion: The PRO models add an E3 expansion connector, with external clocking and QSPI/eMMC options among the documented capabilities. PRO boards also have S1/S2 connectors for synchronization and daisy chaining; Red Pitaya states a synchronization-connector speed of up to 500 Mb/s.
- More resources at the top end: PRO Z7020 moves to a Z7020 FPGA, 1 GB DDR memory, more GPIO, and eight additional high-speed differential pairs, according to Red Pitaya’s announcement.
- Calibration: Gen 2 boards are factory-calibrated, and their documented calibration procedure does not require the 50-ohm terminators used when calibrating original-generation boards.
Red Pitaya’s hardware documentation separates generations and cautions that similar product names do not mean identical hardware. “Backward compatible” should not be read as a guarantee that every Gen 1 shield, pin assignment, OS image, FPGA project, or electrical behavior transfers unchanged. Verify compatibility for each accessory and project before moving it to Gen 2. See the hardware generation guide.
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Power, inputs, and setup details to check
Use an appropriate USB-C power supply
The base hardware documentation specifies 5 V and up to 3 A. For USB-C power, the supply must provide functioning CC lines so the board can detect the connection correctly. A basic two-wire USB-C cable with a generic 5-V adapter may trigger the Power Error LED. Do not assume a phone or laptop charger is suitable: confirm the supply’s voltage and current capability, the cable, CC-line behavior, and the instructions for the exact model. Red Pitaya documents alternative power arrangements, but notes that they bypass some USB-C protection behavior and require users to verify the supply independently. See the power-supply instructions.
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Do not confuse input range with damage limits
The base model lists ±1 V and ±20 V input ranges for its low- and high-voltage modes. On the PRO documentation, ±6 V in low-voltage mode and ±30 V in high-voltage mode are stated as absolute maximum values under DC conditions. Absolute maximum is a damage limit, not a recommended continuous measurement range, and the documentation warns that limits may not apply identically at higher frequencies. Probe choice, input mode, signal frequency, and the exact board matter. Use properly rated probes and follow the model’s electrical specifications rather than treating a voltage figure as universal protection.
Expansion GPIO is 3.3-V logic; connecting it directly to incompatible voltage levels can damage the board or connected equipment. For PRO models, also align E1/E2 shields carefully: the documentation warns that a shield can appear connected while offset by about one pin, potentially damaging the board or shield. Custom shields may need elevated mating connectors to clear the heatsink and Ethernet connector. These cautions are in the PRO hardware documentation.
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Calibration and software are part of the instrument
Red Pitaya says Gen 2 boards are factory-calibrated. Recalibration may be appropriate after extended use, environmental changes, or degraded measurement accuracy. The documented choices are the Calibration application in System Tools, the calib command-line utility, or C++ and Python APIs. The Gen 2 calibration instructions do not call for the Gen 1 50-ohm terminators; use the procedure for the actual board generation. Calibration does not by itself establish traceability to a national or laboratory standard. Details are in the calibration documentation.
Check the board identifier and use an OS image and application set intended for that generation. Red Pitaya distinguishes board generations in its identification guide and quick-start guidance. The board’s usefulness depends on those software components as well as the hardware. Its PRO documentation says the software is open source, but full hardware schematics are not available; development schematics are provided. It is therefore more accurate to describe the software ecosystem as open than to call the complete hardware platform open hardware.
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Where it fits—and where it does not
Good match for programmable measurement work
- Engineers developing custom measurement, control, or acquisition systems.
- Researchers who need FPGA-level processing, synchronized boards, or network-controlled instruments.
- RF, communications, photonics, and related developers whose requirements fit the platform’s analog bandwidth and channel count.
- Universities and teaching labs that want students to work with Linux, FPGA logic, and instrument software on one platform.
- OEM teams that want a configurable acquisition and processing core.
- Advanced makers who value software access and extensibility over immediate turnkey operation.
Consider a dedicated instrument or another platform when
- You need traceable calibration, documented metrology performance, formal service workflows, or a certified instrument.
- You need a large integrated display, extensive front-panel controls, or immediate standalone operation.
- Your signal bandwidth is substantially above the approximately 60-MHz ADC bandwidth listed for this 125-14 platform.
- You need more than two simultaneous fast RF input channels without designing an additional hardware architecture.
- Your team cannot maintain Linux, networking, application software, or FPGA designs.
The launch and specification materials establish the advertised design and features, not independent measurements of signal-to-noise improvement, spurious-free dynamic range, difficult-trigger performance, sustained-workload thermals, or long-term reliability. Treat phrases such as “industrial-grade” and lower-noise performance as Red Pitaya claims unless validated for your use case. The cited materials also do not establish that existing Gen 1 projects will port without modification.
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Which Gen 2 model should you choose?
- Choose STEMlab 125-14 Gen 2 for education, prototyping, and general measurement when two fast acquisition channels and two generation channels are sufficient and you do not need the PRO-specific external clock, E3 expansion, or synchronization features.
- Choose STEMlab 125-14 PRO Gen 2 when external clocking, multi-board synchronization, or E3-based deployment and storage options matter, but the Z7020’s extra FPGA resources are not required.
- Choose STEMlab 125-14 PRO Z7020 Gen 2 when FPGA capacity, 1 GB memory, longer captures, or additional high-speed differential I/O are central to the design, especially for research or OEM integration.
If you already own a Gen 1 board, an upgrade is most compelling when a project specifically needs the Gen 2 analog redesign, USB-C architecture, or PRO expansion and clocking features. If current projects and accessories work and those capabilities are not needed, the release information alone is not evidence that replacement will improve results enough to justify the cost. Validate software, pinout, accessory, and electrical compatibility before porting.
Cost and alternatives depend on the configuration
The platform’s total cost depends on the board or kit, probes, power hardware, shields, storage and measurement modules, shipping, taxes, and possible import duties. For example, Red Pitaya’s PRO Gen 2 Starter Kit page displayed $766.00, while its shop displayed €785.29 for the kit; the PRO Z7020 Starter Kit appeared at €1,087.79 in the shop. These are storefront prices observed in different currencies, not fixed global prices or a like-for-like checkout comparison. Verify current currency, stock, tax treatment, shipping, and final checkout total on the PRO kit page and official shop. Red Pitaya warns that direct EU-to-U.S. shipments may incur duties; U.S. buyers can compare authorized distributor terms.
The starter kit is aimed at buyers wanting the board and a ready-to-use set of accessories. Add-on modules serve distinct needs rather than being requirements for every user: the product page listed a Logic Analyzer Extension Module at $83, an LCR Meter Extension Module at $417, a VNA External Module at $183, a QSPI eMMC Module Gen 2 at $148, and an acrylic case at $19. These are prices displayed on the product page during the cited storefront snapshot, and should be checked at purchase.
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1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesBuying Gen 1 may make sense when budget or an established project matters more than Gen 2’s changes; the original STEMlab 125-14 Starter Kit appeared at $490 in the related-products listing. Conversely, Red Pitaya’s 125-14 4-Input and SIGNALlab 250-12 are alternatives for different priorities—four fast analog inputs or higher sample-rate capability—rather than direct Gen 2 equivalents. The same product listing showed $1,366 and $2,309 respectively; verify current prices and exact specifications before comparing. These figures are storefront observations, not total system costs or recommendations independent of the workload.
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Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
